Word for the World - May 23

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might” (Ephesians 1:18–19, NASB95)

Paul had a three-fold prayer for the recipients of the Ephesian letter. First, he wanted them to know the hope of His calling. This is a hopeful call because it is extended to all men and women everywhere. It is the hope of the Gospel, which saves to the uttermost those who would believe. Only those who respond to the call by believing the Gospel know this hope.

Secondly, Paul prays that the recipients would know “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” The called includes both Jew and gentile. The chosen, however, is the nation of Israel. The Saints are the redeemed from within the chosen. This is the inheritance which will be our Lord’s when He returns. At His first coming, “His own received him not,” but at His Second Coming, when Salvation comes out of Zion, “all Israel will be saved” and the saints will be the inheritance of our Lord.

Finally, “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” is for anyone who has heard the call, whether Jew or gentile, and responded with belief. For them, there is a “surpassing greatness of His power,” a resurrection power, which is available to us. Paul’s prayer is that we would know this power so that we might experience the full reality of our salvation.

In His Grace;

Dr. Randy White

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from Dr. White, please visit Randy White Ministries.